The Æther
Not all albums work as a whole. Not all albums can be played from start to finish and enjoyed. I can only really think of a few (some examples include Blue Lines by Massive Attack and What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye). Most albums have their strong tracks and others that see you hitting skip (or picking up the needle and moving it on). That’s just the way it is.
And that’s what makes “Æthereal”, due for release on March 29, such a good album – it works as a whole and not once are you tempted to hit fast forward. I’m not suggesting that there aren’t stand out tracks (for me, “I’m So Sorry” was the pick of the bunch) - rather, that from the opener, “Deep in Love”, to the closing track “Urgh”, The Æther takes you on a journey through a world of electronic music influenced by disco, R&B and funk that never fails to hold your attention.
Niles Rodgers looms large as an influence here and the best of the tracks hit their stride when The Æther mixes Rodger’s funky guitar work with the haunting vocals and harmonies that are a trademark of the album. The 80s-influenced make-out tracks, Let Me Adorn You and Like No Other Can, further serve to demonstrate the breadth of The Æther’s talent.
I plan to have this album on high rotation when it is released later this month, and I suggest that should do the same.
Simon says 4.5 out of 5 stars.
You can find links to The Æther's music here:
You can find links to The Æther socials below:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/theaetherreal
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theaetherreal
Instagram: https://instagram.com/theaether
ÆTHEREAL, released through Revelation of the Method Records, will be available on CD direct from https://theaetherreal.bandcamp.com and available for download from iTunes, Spotify and all major platforms.